Controversially declining to play in Lansdowne Road and stay at their own ground Glenmalure Park in Milltown, Shamrock Rovers have ensured tight security is in place in advance of their first round European Cup-tie against Glasgow Celtic.
With an expected 18,000 attendance and 2,000 supporters travelling from Scotland, the host club is taking no chances with security measures. They have invested £10,000 on crowd control and fire prevention measures. This includes new styles and exits, extra stewards and £15,000 on hiring temporary seating which corrals the visitors away from 15,000 home supporters.
Director of Shamrock Rovers Patrick Kilcoyne has no worries about security for the match and with the co-operation of Donnybrook Gardaí he is,
Hopeful that tonight will pass off in a very good and positive way for soccer football in Dublin...there are roughly 2-3000 Celtic fans coming to the game and as far as we're concerned they're very welcome.
A local resident interviewed says he has no concerns about trouble as the recent Linfield match passed off peacefully. Gardaí are preventing fans from bringing possible weapons into the grounds such as flagpoles bottles and cans.
In the end, the tightened security proved successful as there was no serious trouble, although a Union Jack flag was burned and there was some anti-British chanting. At one stage the Dutch referee had to move some fans back from the touchline into the crowd during the game.
Despite inspirational play by Rovers, with just seven minutes to go Murdo MacLeod scored a spectacular goal, enabling Glasgow Celtic to progress to the second round of the European Cup. The final score was Shamrock Rovers 0, Glasgow Celtic 1.
An RTÉ News report by Joe O'Brien broadcast on 17 September 1986.
